Swinging hobbyhorse



Feb. 9 1926.

1,571,947 H. E. HoDGsoN SWINGING HOBBY-HORSE Fil'ed August 6, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTHN Y Feb. 9 192s. 1,571,947

` H. E. HODGSON SWINGING HOBBY-HORSE Filed August 6, 1924 2Sheets-'Sheet 2 CIT Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE."

HARRIETTE'ENSLEY HODG'SON, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

swriveiive HoisBYHoRsn.

Appiication filed August e, 1924. semaine. '730360.

dren exercise in the open air and which will. 'he serviceable incon'ipai'atively small spaces.

Hobbyhorses are' avery favorite toy, but are for indoor use on smoothsurfaces, and are not adapted for yards or areas and are not designed towithstand sun and rain, the 'rockers and other parts suffering if eX-posed to such conditions. The thought that I' havehad in this inventionis to make a hobby-horse for the outdoors, and in doing so I haveessentially modified the'desigiiv of such toys' and have applied theprinciple of the swing. The construction sought has been one involvingsimple and sturdy eleinents,-`capable vof being made cheaplyin metal,wood, or composition, and by reason of its nature and mode of operationhaving an especial appeal for children. 1ngly` my invention comprises anelongated barrel-like body having rising therefrom the eliigy of ananimal head, and means for suspending the body in a frame or from someother overhead support to swing lengthwise. This barrel-shaped body isnot only cheap to manufacture and sturdy in use but is possessed .of asimple and grotesque form calculated to appeal especially to the childmind. In this respect my invention differs from known swinging toyshaving a horses head in eftigy affixed to a suspended disc seat 0rbucket seat and also from swing or riding devices shaped in the mannerof a horse.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing tlie invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the toy in a suspension frame;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation thereof, the lower portion of the framebeing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the hobby-horse,showing suspension ropes or cables, intermediate portions of which arebroken away, arranged for suspending the toy from a tree;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the Vline ete-fl of Fig.Y 3; and

Accordying of a. rope passed through an opening in Fig. 5 is afragmentary sectional view showing the manner of attaching a suspensionchain used instead of rope. A

rllie liobby-horse shown in the drawings is a double hobby-horse, thedouble seating capacit-y being of great advantage since two childrenswinging together have inuch'more beneficial enjoyment than one alone.The indoor hobby-horse on rockers is not well adapted for tandemconstruction, but thev simple, straight barrel-like body 2 of myswinging hobby-horse can be made in any length.. The body can be madekhollow, of galvanized iron, or it may be of wood, com? position, solid,etc.

At longitudinally spaced points efligies of horsesj or other animalsheads 3 rise from the body, being either formed separately and fixed tothe body, or cast or molded in one piece therewith. The forward head islocated somewhat in rear of the front end of the body and the rear headan appropri-Y taiigulaig'or elementary form'such'as -illus-H tiated,both because it is easy to make and because simple forms are liked bychildren. A mane 4 is applied to each head, consistthe rear, upper partof the head, doubled, wrapped about at 5 adjacent the head, and the twoends then raveled out upl to the wrapping so as to form a flowing mane.A rosette 6 on the side of thel head where the inane rope passes throughthe opening conceals the origin of the inane and contributes greatly tothel appearance. Twotails 7 are likewise formed by rope threaded throughopenings in the body at the rear end, .and at v top` of the body, sothat it may be taken indoors iiiv order that its cushion or cover neednot be spoiled. Y

' Transverse openings are formed through the body below each of thesaddles,'and ropes l1 are passed through the body through theseopenings, their endsrv depending andv being looped asshown at 12, toforni stirrups. Knots 13 in the stirrup ropes inlinediatelg1 adjacentthe two sides el? the hodjyv keep the ropes in place.

Figs. l and 2 show the toy suspended from and in an Asifraine ll, whiehmay be of either inet-al o1' wood. The bodyv is suspended troni thelongitudinal top ineinber 15 of this traine by three ropes lo. the upperends oit which are tied or otherwise fastened to the top member and keptlroin longitu dinal inovenient thereon by grooves or ridges 1T. rl`heropes may be provided with :nljnst-inent elanips l5. so that the ropescan be lengthened and shortened.

In the ease ol' the use ol ropes used as suspension nienibers, the lowerparts o1 the ropes pass downward through openings in the top and bottonio t' the body, end their lower ends are tied to plates whit-h bear np onthe bottoni ol" the bodiY and prevent the ropes -troni pulling thrrnigh.tjhains may be also used as indicated at lli in lig. i), in which fasethe lower end oli such ehain will be attached to an eye i9 on the top otthe body.

The two forward ropes or Cibles 16 are passed through openingsy in. orotherwise engaged withJ the noses ol the heads 2l, which prevent-s thehobby-horse lroin tilting laterally when the children are on it. Ropeloops 2O threaded :1c-.ross through the ROSES SHIV@ 21S lelllS.

Fig. 3 shows suspension ropes 1G" converging upward and united at acentral point,

were@ enabling the hobby-horse to be hung from a tree.

rlhe deviiee may be also inade as a single hobbjphorse, but the doublel'orin is prel'erred and ean he inode quite inexpensively.

lt is advantageous to inount a running board il at the inner side of oneside of the traine at a suitable level, so that a child niortl` .steponto it in order to mount the horse. Ri.. rope Elli'astened to the upperforward Corner ot' the traine enables the eliild to set the hobby-horsein motion by pulling.

l claim:

l. L swinging hobby-horse comprising an elongated barrel-like hodji7having the eiigy et' an animal head rising therefrom. with nieans lorsuspending the bodin a :trarne or lroni other overhead support, to swinglengthwise. a, rope which passes upward troni the bodyY and lorins partol the sus pension means being engaged with the forward part of' theanimal heed to prevent literal tipping.

A .swinging hobby-horse comprising a bod)Y having an elligy ol. ananimal head rising therelroin. and means :for suspending the bodyv toswing lengthwise, the suspension means iiioluding a rope or cable whichis seenred at its lower end to the body and above the body engages the:forward part the head so as to prevent lateral tip ping.

